Athletics: Flanagan scores stunning victory in NYC marathon

Nov 5, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Shalane Flanagan crosses the finish line of the New York City Marathon. Flanagan became the first American to win the female race of the New York City Marathon since 1977. Mandatory Credit: Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com via USA TODAY Sports

(Reuters) - Shalane Flanagan became the first American woman to win the New York City Marathon in 40 years when she claimed a dominant victory over Kenyan three-times champion Mary Keitany on Sunday.

The men's title went to Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor, who held off countryman Wilson Kipsang.

Flanagan, who had never won a major marathon, clocked an unofficial two hours, 26 minutes 53 seconds for a stunning victory at the age of 36.

Keitany struggled home in 2:27:54 with Ethiopia's

Mamitu Daska third in 2:28:08.

Kamworor finished in an unofficial 2:10.53 with Kipsang three seconds behind.

The race was run under heightened security with thousands of police on duty days after a truck-ramming attack killed eight in what authorities described as a terrorist act.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina)